Faces That Would Be Missed As Lagos Assemblymen

The sixth Assembly has been very interesting. The Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, alongside principled officers of the Assembly made it so.

Members of the House cooperated and co-ordinated issues relating to them and their profession.

However, while the Assembly complex is permanent, those who use it to make laws and carry out oversight functions as representatives of their people are transient. This is why it is no surprise that about 12 out of the 38 lawmakers under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that make up the 40 members of the House are already bidding the House farewell as the complex prepares to host the seventh Assembly next June.

Though the fate of the other two, who are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not yet known as one of them, Gbenga Oshun, who won the by-election in the Ikorodu Constituency to replace the late Hon. Rotimi Shotomiwa has just been sworn in and is preparing to outdo his opponents in the forthcoming election into the seat.

Of the 12 that are leaving, five had vied for the House of Representatives ticket, but it is now certain that three would be going Abuja as Representatives if their constituents allow them. These include Hon. Babatunde Adejare representing Agege constituency 2, Solomon Adeola Olamilekan who would represent Alimosho federal constituency at the Nationnal Assembly and Hazeez Akinloye, who currently represents Eti-Osa 1. Of the three, Olamilekan would be missed most for his outstanding contribution on the floor of the House.

The other two, Adekunle Ademoye and Adesina Ogunkoya did not make it at the primaries and since then, they have been absent from sittings, forcing staff and their colleagues to raise questions about their whereabouts.

While Ademoye is currently serving a second term, Ogunkoya is serving a third term and is nicknamed Baba 70 as a result.

The two lawmakers from Amuwo-Odofin will not be coming back to the House. Hon. Bola Badmus-Olujobi who represents Amuwo-Odofin 2 became the Deputy Speaker after the impeachment of Funmilayo Tejuosho and since then has been facing a certificate forgery scandal. This may have counted against her even if she had made her marks at the Assembly.

But for her colleague, Ajoke Adeniyi-Adegeye, who is married to notable musician, Sunny Ade, her failure to come back is hinged on many issues. One, she was accused of the ‘sit down look’ syndrome as she was reported to be a bench warmer, never contributing to issues at the floor of the House. She has also been fighting a certificate scandal case raised by civil rights groups against her just as she had started campaign with her posters declaring “the crown is ours” dotting strategic points at the Assembly complex. These may have counted against her.

For Adelabu Onibiyo, who never eyed a come-back to the House, it has become widely known that he would be heading to Osun State where he hopes to become a Commissioner even though he had informed journalists in an interview that he was not going to the state as being a councillor in Lagos is better than being a Commissioner in Osun.

One face that would be missed dearly at the floor of the House is Babatunde Ogala who till now had represented Ikeja constituency 1. He was very useful, but it has been learnt that he had issues with his constituents who have accused him of ‘forgetting’ them. His seat is now to be occupied by the Speaker who currently represents Epe at the House.

Others who are already thinking of going back home include Hon. Abayomi Sodiq, the representative of Ojo Constituency 2, who is known for his smiles, Ayoola Ahmed of Lagos Island Constituency 2 whose seat has been taken over by his colleague, Wahab Alawiye-King, who up till now had represented Lagos Constituency 1 at the House, and Shakiru Adebanjo from Epe 2. It is believed that Adebanjo is following the gentleman’s agreement in his constituency that nobody is elected twice into the House.